Sick Silkie Hen

[CharityB]

I am in need of advice. I acquired 2 Silkies and a barred rock hen from a breeder, the first day they were fine, if a little scared and settled into their new coop, which is probably closer quarters then they had a the farm they came from. I inquired if mixing the breeds would be ok from the previous owner and he stated should be fine. I did not isolate them as they were in the same cage on pick up and came from the same farm. However, one silkie was sneezing quite a bit but otherwise appeared in good health. The following day the BR started pecking at her and bullying. The silkie was afraid to go into the roost that night. I made her go in to protect them that night. They were all alive in the morning when my husband let them out on the run and when I came out approx 45 min later my Silkie hen was dead and the BR was being very loud.

I removed the dead silkie, there was no visible injury or blood so I am not sure how she died...The BR then began bullying my other Silkie so I separated them by building another coop. They have since stopped laying and are displaying some other changes. My silkie has one eye that is closed at times and seems to leak a clear discharge. I have been cleaning with saline daily for last 2 days. She seemed less active today and spends more time in the roost. I am not sure what to do.

The barred rock has been having watery droppings, mostly white. They both appear to be eating and drinking, I let them free range daily for as long as I’m able to supervise them or until they go back to their coops. The barred rock does not like people in her space or other chickens, she is very territorial or scared. Her activity level is fine however. Occasionally, but not often, I notice BR “yawning”. She doesn’t seem to have any respiratory symptoms, no sneezing or watery eyes.

I am monitoring and trying to not add additional stress. I have had them for 8 days today. I have added Apple cider vinegar to their water, they have grit and layer feed and I give them kitchen scraps.

I don’t want to cull either of them as I already lost one and they are already very special to me. I just feel overwhelmed by information and am obsessively researching and learning about chicken care. Any reassurance or guidance on where to got from here would be appreciated.
Today the Silkie wouldn’t open her eye or really let me flush with saline. She is lethargic and sitting with her feathers fluffed out. Her nasal passages now have drainage and her other eye has some Christie’s around it...I plan to add vitamins to her water and maybe bring her inside for closer observation and warmth. But, I have an indoor cat and am concerned about respiratory illness spreading.
Please any advice would be appreciated! I am emotionally invested and this has been challenging to say the least! Now entering day10.
I can’t put her in garage bc I have chicks in a brooder and don’t want to potentially expose them to illness

 

[Eggcessive]

First, welcome to BYC. Your cats cannot get a respiratory disease from the chicken. Most illnesses are species specific. It sounds like the silkies came with a respiratory infection which can be in the flock they were from, and most would be carriers. The stress of moving could have caused symptoms to appear. The nasal drainage and eye could be related to respiratory infection, or pecking of the eye. I would open and inspect the eye for small bubbles, and twice a day put in some Terramycin eye ointment from the feed store after cleaning it.

Barred rocks are fairly assertive chickens, and I would separate the silkie in a wire dog crate with her own food and water attached to the crate. Mixing silkies with larger active birds might not work out. I raised 2 silkies in a mixed flock and they did fine, but they were all together from 1 day old. My silkies always hung with their own and the other 2 bantams we had. Since those are your only chickens they may learn to tolerate each other. You could get another silkie for company. I loved my silkies, but they are a bit delicate and easily bullied. Many people keep silkies or bantams separate from large breeds.